


the stranger

by kiyala



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Homophobia, M/M, Seaside
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 03:01:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5727238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kasamatsu is a fisherman's son and Kise is the rich stranger who sails into town one summer on his father's yacht.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the stranger

The stranger sails into town one afternoon, his yacht polished to a shine, a bright white that makes the other boats in the docks look old and worn.

Yukio watches as he helps his father pack up their fishing boat for the day, keeping his distance, keeping his head down when the stranger looks his way.

He has hair the colour of corn and a face so beautiful that when Yukio accidentally looks up and makes eye contact, he momentarily forgets how to breathe.

"Yukio," his father says, gruff and tired, already carrying his buckets with him.

His stomach twisting with guilt and heart soaring with something new and unexplored, Yukio picks up his things and hurries to follow.

 

* * *

 

The stranger stays. His name is Kise, and the town comes to life in the wake of his arrival, full of whispered rumours and secrets. He looks roughly Yukio's age, perhaps a couple of years younger, and according to the town gossips, he comes from a rich family. He works as a model, they say, and Yukio thinks to himself that he wouldn't be surprised. Someone as beautiful as Kise deserves to be on the front of every magazine ever sold.

The twisting guilt in his stomach wars with his racing heart on a daily basis these days. Kise is always at the café where Yukio buys coffee for himself and his father in the mornings. His golden gaze follows Yukio through the small shop, from the door to the counter. Kise always sits at the same table, a light novel in his hands, sunglasses perched on his head, wearing pants that cut off just above his ankle. Yukio feels his ears grow warm as he looks at him from across the room, taking in the elegant curve of his back, the daintiness of his ankles, his long, beautiful fingers.

Kise watches him right back, pretending to read the book held in front of his face, but he isn't fooling Yukio at all. His eyes reflect the building interest that's beginning to take over Yukio's mind in every silent moment, when he's at home, when he's out at sea. Yukio doesn't know whether that's better or worse.

 

* * *

 

Yukio remembers what happened to Yoshitaka, three years ago when he was caught kissing a tourist boy in one of the quieter streets at the edge of their small town. He remembers the way Moriyama-san had hit him, remembers the silent approval that radiated from his own father.

He remembers feeling sick and he feels it again every time he thinks of pressing his lips to Kise's. He thinks about it often, feeling guilty every time he does. He dreams of Kise, wakes up feeling wet and sticky and the guilt only becomes worse from there.

He still goes to the café every morning, still shares the two minutes in the same room with Kise, feeling like they span for an eternity and yet pass in the blink of an eye.

 

* * *

 

"Hello," Kise says, his tone warm, friendly. Yukio has heard his voice before, when they pass each other in town. Yukio is ashamed that he recognises it without even having to turn around to look at its owner.

"I have to go," Yukio says, his words coming out colder than he intends. Kise steps back, blinking in surprise. Yukio tightens his grip on the two cups of coffee in his hands and side-steps Kise and makes his escape.

He feels sick out on the sea for the first time since he was a young boy, but it's not the waves that do it to him, it's the memory of the bruises on Yoshitaka's back, the broken look in his eyes.

 

* * *

 

"I need help," Yukio says, dropping by to visit Yoshitaka at the hotel where he works. He shuffles his weight from one foot to another nervously, standing beside the reception counter.

Yoshitaka blinks at him, then offers him a sad smile, not needing any further explanation. "You could do what I did? Start seeing girls."

The problem is, Yukio doesn't think he can. He isn't like Yoshitaka in that sense. He doesn't know how to speak to girls and he's never wanted to. Not the way he wants to speak to Kise every single morning, as he continues to come up with excuse after excuse to leave the moment he's greeted. Kise seems to sense it in him, though, never approaches him until he has both cups of coffee and an easy exit. He wonders if Kise knows why they don't speak, why Yukio doesn't look him in the eyes for long.

 

* * *

 

"Kasamatsu," Kise says softly, a little further down the street.

Yukio doesn't slow down, even as he sees Kise standing there. He walks closer, a little more confident in the cover of darkness. He goes for walks at night on a regular basis. He wonders if Kise has figured that out himself, or if he's received a hint from Yoshitaka.

"Are you going to walk past me if I say hello this time?" Kise asks, once they're close enough to look into each other's eyes. In the moonlight, Kise looks ethereal, so breathtakingly beautiful and the ache in Yukio's chest is soul-deep.

"No," Yukio replies, as he slows down. "I won't."

"Hello," Kise says then, with a small, nervous smile, like it's their first meeting. Perhaps it is, in a way.

"Hello," Yukio replies, then offers his hand. "I'm Kasamatsu Yukio."

"Yukio," Kise breathes out and takes his hand. Yukio wonders if it's normal to fall in love this way, touching palms to another person and hearing them say your name for the first time. "I'm Ryouta."

"We can't…" Yukio begins, then looks around. "Not during the day time. Not when people can see."

"I could steal you away," Kise says, laughing like he knows just how ridiculous he sounds. It's a rich boy's dream. Yukio can't let himself get caught up in it. "I'm only here for the holidays. I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon."

Yukio's chest aches anew, hating that he has Kise now, but for such a short time.

"Perhaps I'll return next holidays," Kise continues, his words not a promise, but tinged with hope all the same. "Perhaps next holidays, you'll sneak out with me at night more often."

"I'm not sneaking out," Yukio replies, "I always go for walks."

"And I could join you," Kise adds. "If I'm welcome."

They're still holding onto each other's hands. Yukio makes no attempt to pull his away. "You would be welcome."

"Then I'll be back," Kise decides. "And I'll see you again."

It's not enough for Yukio, not now. He tightens his grip on Kise's hand and glances around. Satisfied that they won't be seen, he steps closer. Kise is taller than him and he tilts his face up. Kise's lips meet his halfway.

Their kiss is short and Yukio is quick to pull back, wary of being caught, wary of repeating Yoshitaka's mistakes.

"I'll see you in the café tomorrow morning," Kise whispers against his lips.

 

* * *

 

"What are you doing?" Yoshitaka asks, sounding even more scared than Yukio feels.

"I don't know," Yukio whispers, his palms sweating. Kise is gone and there's nothing to say that he'll be back except for his promise last night and the tug in Yukio's chest. "I don't know what I'm doing, but I don't think I want to stop."

"If your father finds out…"

"I know." Yukio presses his hands to his face and exhales slowly.

Yoshitaka places his hand on Yukio's shoulder and squeezes. "You don't have to do this to yourself."

The problem is, Yukio feels that he does.

 

* * *

 

Kise returns the next holidays. Yukio changes the course of his walk and instead of walking out towards the sea to sit on the rocks and collect his thoughts, he goes to Kise's hotel room.

They learn each other with soft kisses and gentle touches, gasping into each other's mouths, pulling each other closer, arms winding around each other like they're never going to let go.

Kise tells Yukio about the city he lives in, about his friends there. One night, feeling impulsive, Yukio brings his guitar with him, plays it for Kise. He smiles when Kise records it on his phone, then smiles wider when they exchange numbers so the next time they're apart, it won't feel quite as bad.

 

* * *

 

Kise returns and returns and keeps returning until the townsfolk start to grow suspicious. They expected him, like all outsiders, to sail through once and forget about the town after.

The first bits of gossip speculate that he must have fathered a child the first time he was here. Yukio would laugh at it if he felt brave enough to. He feels like the town will cycle through every possibility until they land on the right one. He doesn't know what he'll do then. He doesn't know what his father will do either, or his mother, or his younger brothers.

The sea has grown boring to him, the fish that they bring in enough to keep them paid and fed, but it's monotonous work. He craves something more. Perhaps the city that Kise always tells him of. Or perhaps he just craves being with Kise.

 

* * *

 

"What if," Yukio whispers against Kise's bare shoulder, as they lie in his hotel bed, limbs intertwined. "What if I went with you?"

Kise smiles. He's matured, over the time that's passed since they first met, it shows in his face, in the way he's quieter now, just as enthusiastic but not so obvious about it.

"I think you would miss your family."

Pressing a kiss to Kise's neck, Yukio hums. "Not any more than I miss you when you're gone."

"You can leave them, if you want," Kise tells him. "You can come to me, if you want. But I don't think you should do it this way."

"When did you become the serious one?" Yukio wonders, lips pressed to Kise's, curved into a smile.

"Your good influence," Kise replies. "I love you. I want you to do this the right way. I want you with me, more than anything in the world, but I don't want you to have any regrets."

 

* * *

 

When he sits his mother down to tell her, she already knows.

"It's the look in your eyes," she tells him, pulling him into her arms. "You're always happier when he's in town. You might not act it, but I can tell."

"Have you told anyone?" Yukio asks, his heart racing with fear.

"No one," she tells him, "but I've mentioned to your father that it might be time for you to set out and find your own path. I think I always knew that this day was coming."

He hugs her tightly and says, "I love him."

It's something he's never told to anyone else, other than Kise himself. Not even to Yoshitaka, who always looks so uneasy when Kise is in town.

His mother smiles at him, stroking his cheek. "I'm glad."

 

* * *

 

Kise leaves first, at the end of the holidays, as he always does.

Yukio leaves town a few weeks later, his belongings packed into his car. He has the directions on his phone, he has a space in Kise's apartment, and the option to find his own place if he needs it once he gets there.

"Be safe," Yoshitaka tells him seriously. His expression softens into a smile. "Be happy."

His father pats him on the back. His brothers hug him tightly, making him promise he'll come back to visit. His mother pulls him into her arms and tells him to give her some time. Perhaps when he comes back, they'll have space for two guests instead of one.

He gets into his car and he drives, away from the sea, away from the boats. He still doesn't know what he's doing, and his heart doesn't feel like it ever stopped soaring, from the first time he looked into Kise's eyes.

He'll figure it out, though. They'll figure it out. He's certain of it.


End file.
